The present invention relates to a device for playing recorded disks and specifically to such devices possessing the capability of storing multiple such disks in a movable magazine and playing them selectively. In particular, the present invention relates to a device which uses output from a sensor, that detects the presence of disks in a playback position, to prevent disk damage during movement of the magazine.
The present applicant previously proposed a disk playback device in Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 5-71176. The device has an internal magazine capable of moving up and down. The magazine moves a selected disk, stored within, to and from a load position. The device has a transport mechanism to further move disks between the load position and a playback position. At all times, in this prior art device, each disk is carried on and held by a respective carriage. Great compactness is achieved with the basic layout of this playback device by arranging the magazine so that a disk in the playback position partly overlaps other disks within the magazine.
A problem with this design occurs when disks are stacked on top of each other in a single carriage. When this occurs, the top disk is left behind in the tray because an edge of a mounting opening blocks the upper disk when the carriage is moved from the playback position to the magazine. The disk left behind could then be damaged when the magazine is moved vertically because, as noted, the stored disks overlap the disk in the playback position.